Charles Grassley does it again

Iowa’s senior senator has visited all Iowa counties once more

November 2, 2018

When a politician makes a promise, it's not uncommon for voters to doubt that it can be taken seriously.

When U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley says he will do something, however, it's a good idea to pay close attention the Iowa Republican follows through on his pledges.

Many years ago, Grassley told his constituents that he would stay in close touch with them by visiting every Iowa county at least one time per year. Since his initial election to the Senate in 1980, Iowa's senior senator has been faithful to that promise. He reached that milestone for 2018 early this month and will make many more visits to the Hawkeye State before year's end. This makes 38 consecutive years that our remarkable senator has fulfilled this commitment.

"Representative government is a two-way street. I'm one half of the process and the people of Iowa are the other half. You can't have representative government without dialogue between elected officials and the people we represent," Grassley said, in a statement issued Sept. 10. "I've made it my practice to go to the people of Iowa in a variety of settings throughout the day for questions and answers. I appreciate the opportunity to hold these meetings, answer questions and listen to comments from Iowans. The cross-section of people I get to meet with during town meetings and in their workplaces, offices and factory floors, in schools and at service organizations, helps me keep in touch and take the common sense of Iowans from all perspectives to work in the nation's capital."

Some members of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives use the all-too-frequent congressional recesses to take junkets to far-flung foreign destinations. While a few of these excursions have a legitimate fact-finding purpose, many are little more than expensive social outings paid for by American taxpayers.

Participating in that sort of thing is not Grassley's style. He uses some of the time when Congress is not in session to come back to Iowa to communicate with his constituents.

In doing so, he keeps faith with our Founding Fathers' belief in representative government by listening carefully to what his fellow Iowans tell him.

It's no secret that many Americans have concerns about the quality of the representation they have in Congress. Many believe that most of the men and women who serve in the House and Senate have little in-depth understanding of what the folks back home think.

Grassley's frequent trips back to Iowa help counter that disillusionment. He shows up where we live and listens to what we say. That's an important reason why even Iowans who disagree with Grassley's political views respect his service as their senator. He has earned their trust.